Ladies and Gentlemen of the West Wing
by aroseisarose
Summary: Josh as husband and father? Not even Joey or the President saw it coming. A comapanion piece to Ladies and Gentlemen of the Press that tells Josh and Donna's side of the story.
1. Chapter 1

Ladies and Gentleman of the West Wing

Disclaimer: Josh, Donna, Sam, Toby, CJ, Danny, Leo, Abbey, Jed, Andi, Amy, Joey, Margaret, Mallory, Alex, Lisa, Cliff, Donald, Jack, Lauri, Freddie, Huck, and Molly don't belong to me? What do you mean? Hmmm… I could have sworn that they did. Wait, that's right, they being to Sorkin. Colleen Concannon and the new on on the way belong to my friend Heather, and anyone else belongs to me.

A/N: Fluff? What is this thing called fluff? It's actually happy? And what is this light? I've been in angstville for way too long. Okay, so this is a sequel of story written by my friend Heather called "Ladies and Gentlemen of the Press" and I highly recommend it. It is really, really good. Go and read it now, I'll still be here waiting for you to come back. She is also my kick arse beta, sounding board, and LGW, so give her a hand. Anyway, long story short, we always say how we get ideas from each other's stories and this is the result of that. This is highly AU from season four on, but embrace the AU-ness of it. It really is a beautiful thing. It takes place in an "season six" but it is more like the missing year you know is out there.

Josh knew the second that he heard that Donna was still alive, he was going to marry her. When he honestly thought he had lost her, and he did for several hours, he couldn't think of going on. He couldn't imagine what he was going to do without her. She had become his world and he wasn't aware of it until it was almost to late, and he wasn't going to let that happen again. While he ran back to his office to get his backpack and laptop he decided that he was going to marry Donna. It wasn't really a conscious decision though, it was more like a truth that he finally had the strength to realize and let run over him.

He wanted so badly to ask her to marry him when he first got there. Instead he sat by her bed in silence, praying to the God he had stopped believing in long ago. His silence was his testimony, the greatest indicator of what he felt. He decided that he wasn't going to let fear dictate how he acted anymore. After nearly losing her twice, the fear of the wrath of the administration had little effect on him. Now his only fear was as that she would say that it was too late, that it had been too late anytime after Sam's election, that saying, "I'm sorry, I love you, marry me," wouldn't be enough, and that she was too good for him, all of which was too true. So he waited until one night in her apartment when she was fully recovered. It was brash and bumbling without any preamble.

They were laying on the couch sharing a carton of veggie fried rice when he simply said, "Marry me."

He had meant to say so much more, to say how he knew he couldn't go on when she didn't know what had happened to her, how he regretted every missed moment, how he would think about her even in his dreams, how he was addicted to her in every way and he couldn't live another day without her. He wanted to say how he would understand if she said no, that he was scared that something worse would happen to her if she married him, that it didn't have to get married that night but God knew he wanted to, he would wait forever until she was ready.

However, he didn't get a chance to say anything because she said "Yes."

She didn't know why she said yes, they hadn't dated, they hadn't shared anything more than a chaste kiss, but they had so much more than that. They had a virtual lifetime together.

"What?"

"You just asked me to marry you and I said yes."

"But you said it without thinking."

"Do you really think that I would need to agonize over it? Josh, I've loved you in some way since day one in Manchester. So, yes, Joshua Lyman, I will marry you."

"Really?"

"Really." she murmured, turning into him, settling into the person who knew her, who accepted her, who she knew adored her in a way that no one had ever had before.

"Why do you put up with me?"

"Because you're you, and I'm me and some how it works out to us, and now it is time for us to gather our rosebuds."

"Well, in that case, I have something for you."

Josh shifted and reached into his jeans pocket and concealed what he had pulled out in his hand.

"I, um, I know this isn't the usual ring, but I thought it would mean more." He then proceeded to open his fist to reveal a platinum band covered all the way around with rubies.

"Oh, my God, Josh," she whispered marveling at it. In all honestly she had never seen a ring as stunning as the one he was about to put on her finger.

"So you'll always remember that I'll never, ever stop for red lights."

Years later Donna couldn't remember if he carried her to the bed or they walked or if they even made it off of the couch. All she knew is that she was finally coming home to something that she always known, always felt, and always had faith in. she could remember how he was such a tender lover, how he worshiped her, and she remembered how they drowned in each other, their pasts, their future.

In truth they had been married since Rosslyn, if not before that. They waited to make their announcement until things had settled around CJ's announcement. They didn't want to steal the spotlight, and didn't want to make both the President and Leo go white overnight. So Donna wore her simple and elegant ruby and platinum band on her right hand and waited until things calmed down. If anyone noticed the ring or the couple's elated demeanor, they looked the other way. Sometimes ignorance was bliss, and when it came to Josh and Donna, no one ever really knew what went on with those two. A few weeks after CJ announced her second pregnancy, Donna and Josh walked into Leo's office, their faces almost too serious.

"What do you guys need? I have to get this report to the President within the hour."

"This won't take long." Josh said, sitting down across from Leo.

"Okay."

"What are you doing on February nineteenth?" Donna asked calmly as she played with her ring.

"What is this about?"

"There's going to be a wedding that day, and we want to know if you'd be interested in coming."

"What?"

"Leo, Donna and I are going to get married."

"Margaret!" Leo bellowed

"Yes?" she asked half in the doorway and half out.

"Close the door."

Margaret did as she was told and Leo took a deep breath.

"I need to take you out back and whack you with a two by four! What the hell are you thinking?" Then an idea dawned on him, and his face became withdrawn. "Donna, you aren't pregnant, are you?"

"No! Leo, no, I'm not pregnant."

"Are you guys sure? There's going to be hell to pay from Mary Marsh to this White House not to mention the press corps. I mean we just dealt with CJ and Danny."

"All due respect, this is different. Donna isn't pregnant. We're not hiding anything. If anything, we're being honest."

"Do you guys have any idea what the ramifications are going to be?"

"That's not going to scare us. This is going to be tame after white supremacists and terrorists." Josh said, his voice getting extremely loud.

"Donna, you're going to be accused of being a whore,"

"Leo!" Josh yelled, his anger erupting.

"-and sleeping your way into your posistion. Josh, you're going to be branded as someone with an overdriven secretarial fantasy and as someone who used his power in a way that was way over the line."

"Donna knows that's not the case. I know that's not the case. You know that's not the case... hell, the entire West Wing knows that's not the case!"

"Josh, that was my Chief of Staff speech, relax." Leo beamed a natural smile, the kind that was few and far between in those days. "My old friend of your father speech is it's about damn time."

"Leo? Why are you so calm about this?" Josh asked, still coming down, as Donna slipped her hand in his.

"Because this was a decade in the making. It was inevitable. I'm just glad you two figured it out on your own. Now go and see CJ. She's going to want to know so she can control the story."

"Okay, thanks, Leo."

And so Josh and Donna did just that. After the initial shock, CJ's reaction was much the same as

Leo's. She had known that this day would have to come, although she thought that it would be later

rather than sooner. She had a plan to deal with this for a while, how she would announce to the

corps, how she would spin it, and how she would defend them. CJ then called Toby and Sam into her

office.

"What's up, CJ?" Sam asked, sitting down on the couch

"Can we hurry it up? Sam and I have to work on the thing."

"Well, it looks like we're going to have a wedding." CJ said happily.

"What?" Toby asked, as he put his hand to his forehead.

"Sam, Toby... Josh and I have decided to get married."

"Donna!" Sam leapt up and threw his arm around Donna, picked her up, and spun her around. He then kissed her check and laughed. "That's... just wonderful, Donna! Josh, you do realize that you're marrying up?"

"I do."

"You're what?" Toby repeated, still in disbelief

"They're getting married Toby!" Sam exclaimed, "They're finally getting married!"

"But what about, you know, the press, the public?"

"Toby, if they can deal with me and Danny, they can deal with Josh and Donna. Half of them are convinced that they've been having a passionate love affair from the start."

"Donna, I hate to ask this, but..."

"No, Toby, I'm not pregnant. This isn't something that we're doing to cover anything up. We're doing it because we should have done it a long time before now."

"Josh?"

"Yeah, Sam?"

"Have you two ever been out on a date?"

"No."

While Josh and Sam carried on and Toby observed them, CJ pulled Donna aside.

"He really did it?"

"Yeah, he did."

"So, let's see the ring!"

Donna held out her right hand and CJ couldn't believe what she saw. Part of her wondered where on Earth Josh got enough money to buy it, but the other part of her was too stunned to form the thought fully.

"Donna, thats..."

"Yeah, I know."

"So when is the big day?"

"Feburary ninteenth. The day.."

"You showed up at Manchester?"

"Yeah."

"Very nice."

"We thought so."

"So how are Leena and baby number two doing?"

"They're fine. Colleen starts a playgroup soon, so if she understood what that was, I'm sure she'd be excited. Not that she's not energetic. Let's just say she's a lot like how Hogan was when she was that age."

"That bad, huh?"

"Sleep is a distant memory."

"I know how that one goes..."

To be continued...


	2. In This Apartment

Ladies and Gentlemen of the West Wing

A/N -- Thank you to my kick arse beta Heather. She has been my sounding board through this whole thing, and sometimes my partner in crime. Oh, yes, my key chain partner in crime! Kudos as always, LGW!

Mary Kate 113 -- Thank you very much, and I'm glad that you're enjoying the story.

Kursk -- The origin of Josh's fortune will be revealed later, I promise. I hope you continue reading and enjoying!

Caia -- Yes, fatherhood is in store for Josh. Yeah, I hear the S6 thing, but in my universe, that didn't really happen and he is hovering around S3 or S2!

Starbuck223-- takes opium You rock! LOL! What else is there to say?

WhiteCamellia -- Thank you! I'm having a great time writing this and I'm so glad you love it. It makes it worth while.

Therese -- Thank you for the complement. We all know that he wouldn't just stop for a beer... in fact I like to think that he didn't stop for red lights on the way to the airport.

In This Apartment

The late fall sunlight filtered through the blinds in Josh's apartment. It was Saturday and he and Donna didn't need to be at work until nine, so they could sleep in late. The two were snuggled down in his thick comforter, curled into each other. He was possessive of her even in his sleep, his arms wrapped around her, his chin on top of her head. He loved this time of day now, right before she woke up. This morning he was up before he her and so he watched her, completely mesmerized. He was content just to stare her forever, make note of how her eyebrows furrowed when she dreamed, or how she would give little breathy sighs every few minutes.

"I love you," he whispered when she began to stir.

"Love you, too," she mumbled as she turned into him, the chilly air of the apartment hitting her face.

"I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you."

"Josh?"

"Yeah?"

"What are you doing? Sleep is good. We need to sleep sometimes you know."

Which was very true. They hadn't been sleeping much since they got engaged a month and a half ago.

"Making up for lost time. I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you."

"That's very sweet, Love." Donna said, kissing his chest. "I love you, I love you, I. Love. You."

"Now was that so hard?"

"Yes, it was. Now I'm going to sleep for the next hour, and when I get up I'm expecting breakfast in bed."

"Fine," Josh teased.

As soon as he got out of the bed, Donna missed his presence, his warmth, his feel. She wondered how she had managed to go so long without it.

"Josh?"

"Yeah?"

"Come back here. It's too cold without you."

Josh was all too happy to oblige.

"Donna, can't we, you know, call in sick or something?" Josh asked an hour later.

"Yeah, because that wouldn't be obvious at all."

"It would make certain…people...jealous." Josh got out while kissing the side of Donna's neck.

"Glad you didn't say her name. But yes, Joshua, we need to go to work, too."

"You mean we have to sleep and go to work? You aren't much fun."

"You weren't complaining five minutes ago. Besides, we can't live on love alone. Now get into the shower, I'm going to make us coffee and bagels for the way in."

"Or you can take a shower with me and we can stop at that little coffee shop you like."

"Or you can do what I say and we won't be late for work."

"Leo will understand," he whispered while playing with her hair.

"Sorry I'm late, Leo and missed the briefing on Sub-continent nukes...I was too busy fooling around with Donna."

"Well, I wouldn't say it like that."

"Josh, be a good boy and take a shower."

"Yes, ma'am."

Donna couldn't stand to be in his bed alone, so as soon as the bathroom door closed, she got up and started to dress. She had taken a shower last night, before she came over, knowing full well that this morning she wouldn't have time. This wasn't the first occurrence of her and Josh staying in bed too long for their own good. She had also learned through experience to keep some clothes at Josh's place and he had some at hers. He had been so sweet about it, moving some of his things to the front closet so that she could have her own little section in the bedroom closet. After she had dressed, she picked up her nightclothes up off the floor, folded them neatly, and tucked them under the pillow on what had become her side of the bed. She did the same with Josh's pajamas and while she did, she wondered why they even bothered with them in the first place, they only got in the way.

Donna made coffee and bagels like she said she would. While she was waiting for the bagels to pop out of the toaster and the coffee to finish brewing, she realized that this is what she had to look forward to every morning from here on out. Soon there would be babies and they would be a whole family. She loved to think of their children, how they would look, what traits they would inherit, how Josh would be the stereotypical, overprotective father.

Just then Josh walked into the kitchen, his hair damp and a towel wrapped around his waist.

"Donna, where's the..."

"Go and put some clothes on Josh," Donna said, cutting him off.

"What?"

"Because my resolve to go to work is shrinking with every second you stand there."

"Really?"

"Yes, now you and your newly stoked ego need to put on some clothes. It's already eight thirty."

"We're not finished, you know."

"We're never finished. Now go get dressed."

Donna was tempted to say that CJ was going to bring Colleen in for a few hours, that was until Danny got in from his flight back from Amsterdam, but she didn't want twenty questions. "How long is Leena staying?", "Can you make sure Toby gets the thing so I can check on Leena?" and, "I wonder if Leena is getting bored in CJ's office? Do you think I should take her to visit Sam?" were all sure to come her way that day. Josh adored Leena like she was his own daughter, and would spend all day with her if he didn't have his own matters to attend to. He was also excited about CJ's second pregnancy, he, Sam, and Toby were very attentive to her, asking her if she needed anything every few minutes. Yes, she decided, Josh would make a good father, she would figure the mother stuff out along the way, and things would all work out in the end. If they could work things out and end up together after their world had come crashing down on them so many times, surely raising children would be okay.

While Donna waited for Josh to come back out, she idly looked through one of her many bridal magazines. February was coming up quicker than she realized, and she still had a million things to get done. She was waiting for the second set of invitations to come back; the first set had come back saying "Josh and Diane." Josh had found it funny, vaguely remembering her saying something like that would happen, but Donna didn't quite see the humor. She wanted Joshua and Donnatella, and was determined to get it. She also made note that tomorrow she and CJ were going to go dress shopping. Donna had an idea of what she wanted, but there wasn't much time to waste. With only four months left to go, things needed to start moving along. The wedding was going to be a small event, as small as a wedding overrun with the Secret Service could be, but Donna was determined to make it elegant. Josh told her money was no object, that she was free to spend whatever she wanted. She thought it funny from the man who always gave her grief over change, but she wasn't about to complain.

"Let's go," Josh said as he walked into the kitchen and headed to the coffee pot.

"Lead the way, my dear."

"You know, we can probably get home by six or seven..."

"Yes."

"I don't know if I can deal with it."

"You can and you will. Now grab your finest bagel in the land and your backpack."

"Come on, you've never thought of doing it in the White House?"

"No, because unlike you, I have a sense of decency." Donna lied. Of course she had thought about it, about simply sweeping everything off of his desk, pushing him back on it, and taking him. She had thought about him shutting the door behind her kissing her, undressing her right there while she worked on his pants, picking her up and wrapping her legs around him...

"... memo up to the Hill by one, otherwise Brodder will have a fit."

"Right," she muttered distractedly, coming back from her dirty thoughts.

"Oh, and not for nothing, I've thought of the desk thing, too."

To be continued…


	3. Feliz Navidad

Mara -- Thank you. So sorry it took forever to get this up. I hope you enjoy.

Ryanne -- I hope that you keep reading and enjoying.

Caia -- I don't know, I just thought Josh would say something like that.

Kursk -- Oh, there will be a meeting of the families. J

Nicole -- Thanks. I hope there are more lines you like.

Erin -- It is sort of a parallel to that story, something that takes place in the same universe.

Aseye -- Please keep reading!

MaryKate -- Thanks for the complement.

Therese -- Who knows who might show up in here.

Alias -- There will be little angst bits, but I'm really trying to keep it fluffy.

A/N -- Thank you as always to my lovely beta, Heather. She helped me whip this thing into shape and for that I am very grateful. Sorry this has been so long in coming, RL got hectic on me. Enjoy.

Donna had always loved Christmas growing up. From the time she was a little girl, she looked forward to the day that seemed like it was more than just a holiday. She felt that there was something intangible in the air, something that could only be found on that morning. She would wake up, run next door and wake up Nicola and then together they run into Paolo's room. However, as time went on, Paolo moved out, then Nicola, and then finally, Donna grew up as well. When she was eighteen she went on vacation with some friends to Florida for Christmas, when she was nineteen she went with Freeride to meet his family in Chicago, and when she was twenty she was in DC, working as Special Assistant to the Deputy Chief of Staff. After that every Christmas revolved around Josh: the antique book, a night in the ER, Senate hearings, a weekend getaway with Mr. Wrong, a fake-out Christmas gift. Hardly things that carried the lightness of Christmases past. However, for the first time in a long time, Donna loved Christmas morning once again.

She was wrapped in Josh's Harvard sweatshirt, laying in Josh's arms, under Josh's comforter and all was right with the world. The only thing that that could have made it more prefect was their own baby snuggled between them. She wanted a baby; she wanted her own family. It was something that she didn't know she had wanted until she had become so intimate with Josh, realizing that she wanted no one else to be the father of her baby. Sometimes it scared her, how close she felt to him. It had never been a conscious decision, to love him, that one day she said that this is what she knew she wanted, it just happened. She had been consumed by him and he had been consumed by her, and together they made up something more than themselves.

"Good morning, Delizia."

Josh slowly opened his eyes, smiled, and closed them again.

"Morning, Bugaloo." Donna adored it when he called her that. It was so warm, so personal.

"Merry Christmas."

Josh snuggled down and sighed, a very small smile on his lips.

"It's Christmas?"

"Yes."

"Hmmm, I thought it was Tuesday," Josh stage mumbled into his pillow.

"Wiseass."

"You know it. Besides, I'm Jewish, I'm not supposed to know when Christmas morning is."

"So where's my present?" Donna continued, ignoring Josh's fake whining.

"Where else would it be? Under the tree… the one you insisted on putting up."

Donna jumped up and ran out to the living room. A few days ago she had set up a tree, found the time to decorate the clear glass bulbs she had bought with glitter, and put up along with the twinkling lights. Over all it was a lovely, homey picture. The tree skirt was covered with all sorts of presents, mainly from their families. Josh and Donna agreed that they were only going to only give each other one gift so they could save the money for their fast approaching wedding. Their stockings, one embroidered with Josh and the other with Donna, were laying over their separate piles of gifts. The stockings were made by Donna's niece, Kara, who was quite the domestic diva at twelve.

Josh sat down next to Donna and gestured for her to start going though her stocking. He laughed at how she sat there waiting for him to get done setting up the coffee maker, all the while her eyes sparkling. Once the little trinkets were out, Donna dove into the presents. Josh just looked on in a confused wonder, having never experienced Christmas morning like that before.

"Josh? Aren't you going to open your gifts?"

"Go ahead. Open yours."

"You don't want to take turns?"

"You're in the gift opening zone. Go for it."

Josh was too busy watching the ritual to bother with opening his own gifts. Besides, only a few were from his mother and a handful were from other assorted relatives, the rest were from Donna's family.

"Okay, Aunt Pia needs to realize that I'm not, you know, ten."

"What?"

"Her gift. It's a sweater with some furry little rabbit on it."

"Bummer."

"Yeah."

"Aunt Barbara did me well though." Donna said, opening up a box wrapped in reindeer paper "She bought me a collection of Charlotte Yonge novels."

"Who is?"

"An author I wrote a thesis on in college and I just fell in love with her writing."

"I'll keep that in mind."

"Okay, which means you'll have me remind you right before you want to do something that with that information."

"Right," Josh responded dryly. However, Josh knew she had made a mostly valid point. He wanted to cite the flowers that he gave her on their "non-anniversary" but he didn't want the pout. The pout was sexy, but sex under the tree and among a pile of presents wasn't too appealing. Between pine needles and the corners of boxes, he would get hurt, and not in a good way. Then there was the sap, and there are just some places that sap should never be.

Finally Donna got to the last gift which was from Josh's mom: a crocheted scarf and hat that matched her winter coat perfectly. It was nice to open a homemade gift after opening all the mindless gifts from her extended family.

"So, think you made out well this year?"

"Yeah, I'd say so. You lied to me though. I want your gift."

"Donna, I promise you that you'll get it. I just wanted to do all this first. Besides, I'm thinking that after you get this gift, you won't want to open any more."

"So the whole under the tree thing?"

"Just to get you out of bed."

"Well, that's a first."

"Yes, well, I'm thinking that we'll be returning shortly."

"Hmmm. Now I want to know."

"Last year you waited much, much longer. Besides, I think we've discovered taking turns works well for us."

"Open your gifts, Josh."

And so Josh did as he was told. Indeed he was whipped and had been since day one. His mom gave him a new black backpack, her note teasing him that the one he had was ratty and she realized it was no use to give him an actual briefcase. There were also little gifts from his Uncle Morty, Aunt Janie, Uncle Harold, and cousins Georgianna, Elaine, Naomi, Tim and Caleb. Donna knew how happy it made Josh to hear from them, especially Georgianna, or Georgie, who took on the role of his big sister without thinking. Her parents had given him a few gifts as well, mostly Harvard and Yale regalia.

"So, where is your gift to me?"

"You'll get it after I get mine," Donna gently teased.

Josh threw her a look, got up, and went to the storage ottoman. After rooting though things that they didn't need everyday, he produced a small envelope and smiled at her.

"What's so funny?"

"You're going to love this gift."

"We'll see," Donna smirked.

Without flourish, Josh handed the simple white envelope to Donna, his smile now an adorable grin. "Merry Christmas, Donna."

Donna took the envelope, bit her lip, and opened the flap. Before Josh knew what was what happened Donna pounced on him and was smothering his face in kisses.

"I told you we might be returning to bed shortly."

"Oh, Josh! You really bought tickets to Maui?"

"For our honeymoon. Ten days in Hawaii. Because that is what a guy does for his soon-to-be-wife."

"Really?"

"Really."

"You remembered."

"Of course I did, for I am a man of occasion."

"Right."

"So where is my gift?"

Instead of answering Donna once again kissed Josh, this time it was more passionate than playful.

"I still want my Christmas gift."

"It's in our closet."

"Hmmm…"

"Yep."

"What is it?"

Donna just got up, sashayed slightly, and looked back over her shoulder. "I'll give you three hints. White blouse. Plaid skirt. Knee socks."


	4. Let Josh Be Josh

Kursk -- Donna will slowly find out how much Josh has and so will you. I promise.

Ryanne -- I thought that since you sign with your name you might like it. I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter. Please keep coming back for more!

Caia -- I was debating on what Josh should get Donna and then I saw the episode where Maui is brought up and I thought that it would be prefect.

Miss Jasadin -- Laughs are good. I hope you laugh more as you read further.

Thunder -- Thank you for the complement. Glad to see I'm doing something right,

Scififreakmi -- Heather really did a wonderful job on that one, didn't she? I'm glad that you're enjoying my side of the story as well.

AN -- Giving Heather a break, so all the errors are mine. Yes, I really do need her because she tears everything I write apart and hands it back to me because she is awesome like that. Please keep reading and enjoying. Feedback is like crack, so please feed my addiction!

"CJ, you like fine."

"No, no I don't. I look very, very pregnant."

"And to think that you'll be standing up in my wedding the day before you're due."

"Oh, God. I'm going to be huge. I wasn't this big with Coll, right?" CJ sighed, turning in the mirror so she could observe herself from a different angle.

Donna tried to remember.

"Um, no, but you're carrying a boy and boys are carried lower than girls."

"Thanks."

Donna and CJ were out shopping for dresses for the wedding. Donna had decided on having three attendants, her older sister, Nicola, was going to be the matron of honor and her best friend from childhood on, Jessie, was going to be a bridesmaid along with CJ. She had wanted to have more friends, but with the Secret Service involved, it was headache enough with three. That wasn't to say that she wasn't content, Donna was quite happy, but still, there were others she wanted in her party.

"Come on, CJ, you look beautiful. Danny isn't going to be able to take his eyes off of you. Hell, I don't think Josh, Sam or Toby will be able to either."

CJ did look quite stunning in her gown. It was in periwinkle, the color Donna had chosen for the wedding, and complimented everything from her hair to her baby belly. It was strapless and fell to the floor in soft folds, making soft swooshing sounds as she moved.

"Danny had better keep his eyes on me. Josh, however, is going to be staring a hole right though you from the second you walk into the church."

"Toby though…"

"Donna, I'm married, I have a toddler and I'm pregnant. No one, not even dear Tobias, is going to be making eyes at me."

"I wouldn't be so sure..." Donna never did understand quite what was between those two. They had a history, that was evident enough, but there were times when she wondered what had happened between them fifteen years ago. Still, that was indeed the past, and her and Danny were the present, and they where happier together than Donna had ever seen her with Toby.

"Says she who has men lined up around the block."

"What?" Donna asked, genuinely surprised.

"They guy from the Post Intelligencer, Joe Qunicy, Colin, Jack, Cliff, Sam..."

"Sam?"

CJ realized that now she was getting in dangerous waters, and decided to walk it back.

"So why do you start tying on gowns? I think this is the only one that I'm going to be able to fit into."

"I don't know. My mom and nonna have been giving me grief about doing the dress shopping myself. They are convinced that they have to be there for it and then drag me to twenty two different stores after I find the one I want, just to make sure."

"Sounds fun."

"I was seventeen when Nicola got married and Nonna nearly went crazy over the dress. I think she even yelled at the seamstress in Italian over a droopy bead or two." Donna smiled at the memory. She hated the whole process, being told this and hat when her mind was on getting ahead in her English class so that Mrs. Morello would be able to get her started on the next novel before she went to Italy for Christmas.

"Sounds like my grandmother. She would yell in Swedish when my bothers would steal cookies from the cookie jar," CJ reminisced, Grandma Elin was something else.

After leaving the dress with the sales clerk, CJ guided Donna over to where the wedding gowns were in the store. CJ now wished that she had gotten a lovely white dress like the ones that lined the racks. Instead she got a pretty champagne colored cocktail dress that was cute, elegant, and seemingly appropriate at the time. However, she realized that she was being ridiculous about the whole thing, that she wasn't beholden to any tradition about dress colors. She was part of the sisterhood, she was sassy, she was confident, she wasn't the stereotypical wife in the stereotypical relationship. Still, she heard Grandma Elin's voice in the back of her head and went against her better judgment.

"CJ?"

"Yeah?"

"I don't think that we have to go any further."

"You found it?"

Donna was still too entranced by the dress to do anything more than nod. She gently caressed the fabric, enjoying how it felt cool against her fingertips.

"Earth to Donna. Try it on."

And try it on she did. Between the sales clerk and CJ, Donna got into the dress, all the tiny buttons in the back taken care of. As she stood standing in the mirror looking at her reflection, her eyes began to well. She saw more than the dress, more than the smile on CJ's face or the look of satisfaction in the sales clerk's face. She saw a promise being kept, a promise made with a million different moments, and a hope being realized that had borne the storm and had survived.

"Donna..." CJ whispered, also taken aback by how beautiful Donna looked, how a look of contentment had taken over her face.

"Yeah," Donna answered.

"This is it."

"I know."

Donna slowly turned around admiring the gown from all angles. It was strapless and simple, devoid of all beading and other decorations save for a flowing side drape in the softest ivory to trail a few inches behind her.

"How's Nonna going to take it?"

"I'm more worried about Josh. I mean, I want to not have him drop dead of a heart attack..." Donna replied, a sly smile on her face. She knew, for better or for worse, what he liked, and this was definitely it.

"I wouldn't be too sure, Donna."

"Sam is going to have to get him to breathe you know. Toby too, I have to imagine."

"Bummer if he's dead before the honeymoon."

"I think he's going to have to restrain himself from grabbing me right there in front of the alter."

"Nonna wouldn't like that?"

"Not so much."

"Hmmm."

"You like saying "nonna" don't you?"

"Yes. Yes, I do."

Donna turned in the mirror once again and admired the gown. It was only now, in the dress, she felt like she was actually getting married. In her mind, Josh and her had been married in more ways then one since the first, and the whole wedding thing was just making it legal, official, known to everyone else. However, now Donna could see herself as a blushing bride, making her way down the aisle to her husband to be and to a whole new chapter of existence.

Later that night, Donna was sitting at the kitchen table looking though a catalogue when Josh came back from the market.

"I got the pretzels and peanut butter."

"You are amazing, dearheart, you really are."

"And she says this before we go to bed," Josh quipped as he set the back down on the counter.

"Just for that, you aren't getting any."

"We'll see."

"Give me the peanut butter."

"Fine. Although I don't know how you're going to fit into your wedding dress if you live off of peanut butter and pretzels."

"Joshua Aaron!"

"Uh-oh."

"Yeah, uh-oh. You're going to go on a very, very long dry spell for that comment."

"Donnatella," Josh whined. "I'm sorry…"

"Glad to hear it, but you're still not getting any for a long time."

"That means you won't either."

Donna realized at that moment that Josh had a point.

"I can live with that. I have my peanut butter and pretzels."

Josh, realizing that the battle was hopelessly lost, decided to change the subject.

"So whatcha working on?"

"I'm looking at table favors. What do you think of these?"

Donna pointed to what she wanted to have sitting at each place setting in the reception hall. They were little silver boxes tied with all different colors of ribbon each containing a small piece of various kinds of fudge.

"Sure."

"I mean they would be tied up in periwinkle bows, so they would match the rest of the decorations."

"Sounds good," Josh replied with great lackluster, reaching across the table to get a handful of pretzels.

"You couldn't care less, right?"

"Right."

"And you're pouty because you're in trouble, right?"

"Right."

Donna just rolled her eyes at him and continued to page through the catalogue after she had gotten a bowl of pretzels and peanut butter. By the end of the evening she had picked out the gifts for everyone in bridal party. For the bridesmaids she picked out monogrammed lipstick holders, the groomsmen multi-tools, Leena, the flower girl, a little jewelry box, and for the ring bearer, Nicola's son Felix, a soccer ball shaped bank with his name engraved. She thought that Kit Lyman would like a basket of all sorts of fancy teas and a very nice teacup. For her own mother, Giovanna, Donna picked out a basket of expensive soaps, and for her father, Clay, a gold tie clip with his initials on it.

"I'm going to bed," Donna announced when she had finished ordering from the catalogue.

"I'll be there in a minute," Josh called from the family room, "I just want to see the end of the period."

"Suit yourself."

Donna hated falling asleep when Josh had a game on in the bedroom since he was always yelling something or another at the TV. They tried it once and the next morning Donna declared that there would be no games on the bedroom TV while she was in there.

"When is my first meeting tomorrow?"

"Six twenty with Senator Neil."

"Which means we have to be up by…"

"Yeah, four thirty."

"On second thought, I won't watch the Capitals getting whomped by the Wings."

"Good choice."

"Thank you."

"Now come to bed."

"I thought you said no sex."

"I did. But it is so damn cold in here I want to be under the blankets next to a warm body."

With that imagine in his head Josh quickly shut off the game, turned off the lights in the family room and kitchen, and walked with Donna back to his bedroom. Once they were under the covers Donna scooted next to Josh and laid her head on his chest. She loved to listen to his heart beating, it was the sweetest sound she thought she ever could hear. As the steady thub-lub lulled her to sleep, she thought of how thankful she was to hear it.


	5. The Parents in the Foyer

First off, Heather, you rock my socks as always.

Kursk -- Yeah, the Sam thing is just an allusion to a little theory of mine. I'm working on a fic to further explore it.

Miss Jasadin -- You're right. That is why Heather rocks.

Scifi-- Thanks. I hope that I capture it well.

Heather -- Oh yeah, NONNA!

Donna was praying to the porcelain god, yet again. As she dipped her head over the toilet once more, she caught a glace at her watch. Seven forty-five and she was attending her seventh worship service since she got up two hours ago. In the back of her mind she was very glad a little voice told her to wear her hair up that day. She couldn't stand throwing up, she had always hated it; she thought that it was the worst part of being sick.

"So, Donna, should I run up to the drugstore?" Donna slumped against the stall door as she heard CJ's voice.

"That's not necessary."

"You sure? That is the fourth time you've thrown up since you got here."

"Actually it's my seventh time this morning, but that is besides the point."

"Really? Seven times? How long have you been up?"

"Since five thrity."

"So that's like once every fifteen minutes."

"Did you need something or did you just come here to mock?"

"To mock."

"Okay."

"Seriously, Donna, could you need to go to the drugstore?" Lying her head on her knees, Donna closed her eyes and took deep breaths.

"Nope. Like Josh said, not until after the wedding."

"Yeah, but you two have been…"

Donna let out a small laugh that came out a little louder than she intended. Of course they have been. On every. single. flat. surface. In both apartments for that matter. And the office. Repeatedly. And once in an airplane lavatory on a flight to California.

"Yes, but I'm telling you, it is impossible." They were always extremely careful, right?

"That's what I thought with Coll, Donna. You never know."

"Besides, I really don't think that it is morning sickness. My parents are in town and so is Kit, so we're going to have a whole meet the parents thing."

"So it's just nerves then?"

"Yeah," Donna said, her voice lightly laced with doubt.

Although it really wasn't a true meet the parents night. Josh had met Giovanna in Germany and Donna had met Kit several times the summer that Josh was recovering. The part that made Donna sick to her stomach was her father meeting Josh. She had always had been a daddy's girl and this was going to be hard all around. Nicola had always been closer to their mother and the meeting of the families had not been such a stressor when Nicola was engaged to Pete.

Once CJ had left go do the press briefing, Donna picked herself up, rinsed out her mouth, popped in a piece of gum and went back to her desk. The sight of Amy waiting in the bullpen made an eighth wave of nausea hit her. However, her pride kept her walking forward, confident in the knowledge that she was the one who had the trump card now.

"Donna, is Josh here?"

"No, he went to get his tux and have it fitted if needed. He should be back in about a half hour, but then he has a meeting with Casey and Morgan and a lunch with Larson."

"He already has a tux, Donna. One, that I'm sure you know, already fits him quite well."

"Well, he's getting a new one for the wedding."

Donna caught the look of utter shock on Amy's face. She had to have known, there was no way that Amy Gardner missed the announcement of Josh Lyman's engagement to another woman.

"You guys are really getting married? It wasn't some smart ass prank Toby and Sam got CJ to go in on?"

In response Donna held out her left hand and smiled sugar sweet.

"I can't believe it."

"Anyway, I think I can give you fifteen minutes at three ten if you want to come back."

"Sure. Whatever."

"Three-ten it is then. What is it regarding?"

"Marriage incentives," Amy answered, her voice dangerously dark.

Once Amy was gone, Donna bolted to the bathroom wondering when her penance to the Porcelain One would be done. Vaguely she wondered if she really was having morning sickness. Quickly she counted days and weeks and months in her head, but her train of thought was cut off by her eighth prayer.

Later that night, Donna and Josh were in her apartment getting ready for what promised to be an interesting evening no matter what.

"So, how was your thing with Amy?" Donna asked as she was putting the finishing touches on her chicken alfredo.

"How is anything with Amy?"

"She was pretty pissed then?"

"Oh yeah."

"Was she more pissed about the marriage incentives or the marriage?"

"Hard to tell. Although she did reference that damn stew pot and how I suck at all things domestic."

"Well, you do."

"Yeah, but did she have to be humming that damn song?"

"Josh, I don't even want to know." Yet of course Donna knew what song. She had heard it the morning he called her sending her to the back of beyond. That Sunday morning she could have sworn that she almost hated him.

"So, how is this going to work tonight?"

Donna jumped up on the counter next to where Josh was slicing up the garlic bread, took his face in her hands and smiled.

"Josh, are you telling me that you have no reservations about taking on Haffley and his cronies but you can't handle Clay and Giovanna Moss from Madison?"

"Basically."

"Good boy, you should be afraid," Donna mumbled as she kissed his forehead, his eyelids, his cheeks, his mouth. "Now finish up that bread, they should be here any minute."

As if on cue, the door bell rang.

"They're here," Josh whispered.

"Yeah."

"You should answer the door."

"You should get that lipstick off of your face."

Donna just smiled as she walked away, leaving Josh wiping furiously at his face.

"Donnatella, you look just great, just great. Still a little too thin though." Giovanna Moss didn't waste time with silly formalities such as hellos and how are yous.

"Yeah, well, I still don't have much of an appetite."

"You look tired too. I hope Josh isn't keeping you late at work."

"No, Mom, we still are done around eight or nine most nights." Donna could almost feel Josh's smirk as her parents swept into the apartment.

"Josh, would you please come out here?"

Josh walked out into the foyer, put one arm around Donna's waist and shook her father's hand and kissed her mother's cheek.

"It's nice to see you again, Mrs. Moss; and nice to meet you Mr. Moss."

"We're so glad that you're going to be marrying Telly, Josh. "

"So am I, Mr. Moss."

Just as Donna got her parents settled in the living room with rusty nails , Kit Lyman knocked on the door to her future daughter-in-law's apartment.

"Hi, Mom. Come on in, I'd like you to meet Donna's parents." Josh then escorted his mother into the living room and awaited the suspected fall out. East coast versus the Midwest. Republican versus Democrat. Owner of a small business and housewife versus a philosophy teacher. The coming together of people, by who all logic should have never crossed paths in the first place. "Mom, this is Clay and Giovanna Moss, and Mr. and Mrs. Moss, this is my mother, Katarina."

"Kit, please."

Dinner went much better than either Donna or Josh had expected. Perhaps it was because the booze was flowing freely or maybe it was simple good will, but the night was enjoyed by all. The only reservation was voiced by Donna's father and that was why Josh hadn't asked earlier. He asked how Josh was going to pay the bills if Donna decided to stay home once she had children, and Josh assured him that it wouldn't be an issue. It was a night full of laughter and for the first time, Donna saw them as a family, all of them. In the back of her mind she could imagine staying like this forever, the only thing missing was a grand baby or two… or three… or a dozen. Later, when it was time for Josh and Kit to go back to Georgetown, Josh pulled Donna aside.

"You know, I hate that you can't come home with me."

"I hate it too, but I'm not going to flaunt the fact that I'm sleeping with you in front of my parents. I know they know that I'm not a virgin anymore, but I don't think it wise to present that fact before their eyes. Besides, I take it that your mom is going to want to, you know, sleep."

"We could be quiet."

"That's what we always say and it never stays that way very long. Remember the time against your office door?"

"Donna…"

"Don't use the whine, Josh. It isn't going to work."

"When will I see you again?"

"Stop being so melodramatic. My parents are going to be out all day tomorrow. I can stop by around six."

"Make it five thirty."


End file.
